Tema

Tema

Cultural Fantasies

Guest post by DH When our children attended Parkview Elementary School we were amazed by the arrogance or ignorance associated with the Xmas “shows” put on that students participated in. Christmas Celebrations Around the World was the best catch all…

A Retrospective Look at 2 Weeks in the Middle East

Spoiler alert: I survived. Took a lot of Benadryl, and mainly ate beef jerky, dates and Made Good nut-free, seed-free granola bars, but I’m now safe and sound in Malaga! Of course, I let my guard down and got poisoned…

Jerusalem to Tel Aviv

What whiplash I’ve experienced in the past 24 hours. From the drab, long black skirts, sensible shoes and headscarves of the religious in Jerusalem to chic boutiques and edgy fashions in Tel Aviv. From the conflict in Hebron to standing…

Still Alive

When I was 20 I wanted to enter the foreign service. I got the application package, and was ready to write the exam. But when I started going through the package, one of the questions was, “Are there any countries…

Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

(Sorry if I get the They Might Be Giants song, Istanbul (not Constantinople) stuck in your head; I’m afraid it was going through mine the whole time I was there! Don’t click the link unless you want to risk the earworm.…

Arriving in the Promised Land

Israel is not off to a great start for me. The Israeli couple who sat next to me on the plane didn’t even acknowledge my presence when they sat down. I don’t think I’ve ever had that happen before. I…

Speaking in Kuwait

I was excited to go to Kuwait, as it was a new part of the world for me. And when you get to go with a conference organizer ensuring that all the details are taken care of for you, and…

View From a Naples Pizza Stand

DH and I rarely do speed tourism. We prefer to stay in one location for several days at least, preferably weeks or months, so we can soak in what the place is really like. Unfortunately, this is DH’s teaching term,…